The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-12-17
INTERNAL REVENUE TAXATION


are strictly speaking necessaries; there appears
TO be no just complaint of this taxation by the
consumers of these articles, and there seems to
be nothing so well able to bear the burden with
out hardship to any portion of the people. But
oar present tariff laws, the vicious inequftable
ald illogical source OF unnecessary taxation,
oaght tebe at once revised and amended. These
laws, as their primary and plain effect raise the
pflce 10 consumers OF ali articles imported and
subject to duty, by precisely the sum paid for
such duties. Thus the agent of the duty
measnLes the tax paid by those who purchase for
use these imported articles. Many OF these
Things, however, are raised or manufactured in
our own country, and the duties now levied
upon foreign goods ana products are called pro-
teCuon To these home manufactures because
they render it possible for those OF our people
who are manufacturers TO make these taxed
aitIgles and sell them for price equal to that
demanded fer the imported gooCs that have
Iiid customs duty. 20 II happens that while
comparatively few use The imI oIted articles,
millions OF our people who never usa and
snever saw any of the foreign products, purchase
ana use things Of the same kind made in this
country, ana pay therefor nearly or quite the
same enhanced price which the duty adds to the
imported articles. Those who bay imports pay
the duty charged thereon into the public treas
ury, bu the great majority OF our citizens, who
buy domestic articles OF the same class pay
sum at least approximately equal to this duty TO
the home manu- acturer. This reference TO the
operation of our tariff laws is not made by way
OF instruction, but IN order that we may be COLI
stantly reminded of the manner in which they
impose borden upon those who consume
domestic products as well as those who consume
imported articles, ana thes create tax upon all
our people.
IL is not proposed to entirely rtl'eve the coun-
hy of this taxation. 1t must be extensively
continued as the source of the governments in
come; and III a readjustment of our tariff the
Interests of American LABOR engaged in manufac-
ture shou be carefully considered, well as
the Preservation of our manufactures. 1t may be
called protection, or by any other name, but re-
lief from the hardships ana
DANGERS OF OUR PRESENT TARIFF
laws should he devised with especial pEecaution
against inn eriiing the existence of our maaufac-
turing inter, sts. But this existence should not
mean d condition which without regard TO the
public welfare or national exigency, must
always insu r- the realiZa ton of immense proats
instead OF moderately profitable returns. As the
volume and diversity of our national activities
increase, recruits added 10 those
VINO desire continuation of the ad-
Vantsges which they conce We the present system
OF aflh taxation directly affords them. SO
stubbornly have al efforts TO reform
those of our fellow ciizens thus engaged, that
they can hardly complain OF the suspicion, en-
tertaiued TO certain extent that there exists an
organized combination all along the line to
maintain their advantage.
" e are III the midst OF centennial celebrations,
and with becoming pride we rejoice in American
skill and ingenuity, in American energy and en-
terprlse ana in the wonderful natural advan-
tages and resources developed b. a century 8
national growth. Yet when an attempt is made
to Justify a scheme which permits tax to be
lana upon every consumer in the land Tor The
benefit OF our manufacturers quite beyond
reasonable demand for governmental regard, 1t
suits the purposes OF advocacy to call our man
utactur5s infant industries, still needing the
highest and greatest degree of favor and foster
ing care that can be wrung from federal leglsa
ton.
1t is also said that the increase in the price of
domestic manufactures resulting from he pres
ent tariff is necessary in order that higher wages
may be paid to our workingmen employed in
manufactures, than are paid ior what is called
the pauper labor Of Europe. All viii acznoHl-
edge the force OF an argument which involves
the welfare and liberal compensation OF our Ia
boring people. All
LABOR Is HONORABLE
IL the eyes OF every American citizen and as it
II S II the foundation of our development and
progress, ii is entitled, without atiectation or hy-
pCcrisy, to the utmost regard. The standard of
our laoUrsrs' life should not be measured by that
OF any other country less favored, and they are
{ tiled to their fun share OF all our advantages
Z our last census ii is made 10 appear that of
lis II 1892 099 of our population engaged in all
kinds OF industries, 7,670493 are employed in
agriculture, 4,074 235 i'll professional and person.
al service, & 934 $50 of whom are domestic serv-
ants and laborers) while ,Sl0,25 are employed
in trade and transportation, and 3s37,ll2 are
claSsed as employees in manufacturing and min
ing. For present purposes however, the last num-
Der given sgould be considerably reduced. With
out attempting TO euumerate, il VIII be conceded
that there should be deGuced irL m those which
ltincudes S15l43 carpenters and joiners, 2s5,40l
mlI1ntrs, dressnakers and seamstresSes; 172,526
blacEs 0iths, 1888 756 tailors. lO2,413 masons &c =
24l butchers, II ,309 bakers - 0S3 plastereTs and
S9l engsged III manufacturing agTlcutu i'm
pements, amounting in the aggrog ate to ,2f4 O25
leaving 1923 go persons employed in such manu-
facluring industries as are claimed to be bene-
hted by high tariff.
To these the appeal is made 10 save their en-
poyment and maintain their wages by reslstng-
q change. There should be no disI osition to an
swer such suggestions by the allegation that
they ale in minority among those who labor.
ana therefore should forego an advantage. in
the interest of low prices for he majority; their
compensation, as may be All cted by
THE OPERATION OF TsFIFF LAWS,
should at all times, be scrupuousiy Kept in
view; and yet with slight reflection they will not
overlook The fact that they consumers it'll
tle rest; that they, too, have their own wants aud
those OF their ian lis to supply from their
eirnngs, and tEa; the price OF the necesSaries
d ll:e, as wei as the nut of their wages will
regulate the measure OF their welfare and COM
fut.
3ut the reduction of taxation demanded
should be so mea, ured as not TO necessitate or
justify either the loss of employment by the
VUkingman nor the lessening of his wages. and
the profits still remaining to the manufacturer at
ter. q nS cessaTy resdjustment, should furnish no
excuse for the sacrifice OF the interests of his
pJoyes either in their opportunity to work or in
the dimiuution fthelr compensation. Nor can
the worker in manufactures fail 10 understand
that while high tariff is claimed to be necessary
10 all oW the payment of rGmunerative wages it
certainly results in very large increase in the
pTce OF nearly all sorts of manufactures, which
in almost countless FORMS he needs Tor the use of
himself an his family. He receives at the desk
o. his employer his wages. and perhaps before
be reaches his hon c, is obliged, in a purchase
Tor family use OF ali article which embraces his
own labor, to return in the payment OF the in
crease in price which the tariff permits, the hard
earned compensation of many days OF toll.
The farmer and the agriculturist who manu-
faCtuTe nothing, but who pay the increased
price which the tariff imposes upon every agri-
cultural implement, upon all he wears and upon
all he US 8 and OWNS. except the increase Of his
hOcts and herds and such things as bis hus-
handry produces trom the soil, is invited 10 aid
III maintaining ths present situation and he is
told that hign duty on imported v )ol is neces-
saIy .or the benefit o those who have sheep to
smear in order that the price OF their wool may
be increased. They, OF course are not reminded
that the farmer who has no sheep is by this
scheme Obliged in his purchases oiclothing and
wooen goods,
TO PAY TRIBUTE
TO his fellow farmer as wei as to the manuiact-
uTer and merchant; nor is any mention made OF
the TACT that that the sheep-owners themselves
and their households. must wear clothing and
use other articles manufactured from the wool
they sell at tariff prices. and thus as consumers
must return their share otthis increased price to
the tradesman.
l think it may be fairly assumed that large
proportion of the sheep owned by the farmers
throughout the country found in small fiocks
numb ring from twenty to hlty 4 he duty
On the grade OF imported wool which these sheep
yield, Is 10 cents on each pound, if of the value
OF 80 cents or less aud u II OF the value of more
than 30 cents. Ii the liberal estimate of SIX
pounds be allowed tor each fleece, the duty
thereon would be 60 or 2 cents and this may be
taken as the utmost enhancement OF its price 10
the farmer by reason Of this DUTY. Eighteen
dollars would thus represent the increased price
OF the wCoi from twenty-five sheep and $50 that
from the wool of fifty sheep and at present values
this addition would amount TO about one third
OF its price II upon its sale the farmer receives
this or a less taIltf profit, the wool leaves his
hands charged with precisely that sum, which
in al its changes viii adhere to it, until it
reaches the consumer. When manufactured
into cloth anu other goods and material
Tor use its cost is not only increased to the ex-
tent OF the farmers tariff profit but further
sum has been added for the benefit of the manu-
iactureT under the imposition of other tarlf
laws. In the meantime the day arrives when
the farmer finds 1t necessary to purchase wooden